Read on for a curated list of some of the best decks, patios, rooftops and sidewalk spots where you can enjoy a good meal while maintaining your distance from fellow diners.
You can sort by neighborhood if you're looking for something nearby or just scroll to see if your regular hang is on the list — we'll be adding restaurants as they open for the season so stay tuned and definitely check back for updates.
Word to the wise: we'll be adjusting the info below as needed so it's still probably your best bet to give the restaurant a ring to make sure they can accommodate you.
80 Thoreau
The 80 Thoreau team has opened up a 22-seat al fresco dining area outside their popular Concord restaurant. They're accepting reservations for their five tables at specific seating times throughout the evening so you can enjoy their straightforward-yet-refined New American cuisine out under the open sky.
Alba
With high walls and lush greenery, Alba’s rooftop dining area makes it easy to forget that you’re dining in the middle of Quincy Center. It’s a perfect location for eating a steak under the stars or enjoying the game with a cold drink and some fresh air.
Alcove
Located on Lovejoy Wharf, Alcove has a delightful patio right on the harbor walk and boasts a stunning view of the Zakim Bridge AND it's dog friendly! The flowery but sleek patio is perfect for enjoying Alcove's Mediterranean cuisine with friends (two- or four-legged).
Alden & Harlow
The subterranean spot on Brattle Street is bringing their cult favorite Secret Burger outdoors with their large patio. The seasonal hang sports blue umbrellas so you can lounge in the shade while you sip a cocktail and people watch in Harvard Square.
Alta Strada
Alta Strada's brick-lined outdoor space, outfitted with red umbrellas and twinkling string lights, brings a bit old-world Italian charm to Wellesley. Grab a carb-loving friend and make for the 'burbs to enjoy an evening of fresh pasta and generous pours al fresco.
Area Four
Looking out over the green at Technology Square, Area Four’s patio is a perfect perch for an outdoor meal. Snag one of the wrought iron tables for lunch or dinner and enjoy chef-owner Jeff Pond's menu of small plates, sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas (don't miss the garlic knots or the Brussels sprouts salad, which have been mainstays since way back).
ArtBar
ArtBar, the Royal Sonesta’s signature restaurant, may be one of the city’s best kept al fresco secrets. The riverside patio, practically on the banks of the Charles, offers shaded tables where diners can escape the summer sun, and spectacular views of the twinkling Boston skyline after the sun goes down.
25 Edwin H Land Boulevard
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-868-4444
Bambara
Bambara has expanded their outdoor seating area, taking over the Kimpton Marlowe Hotel's courtyard to allow for social distanced seating, in a lovely outdoor setting. Just a stone’s throw from the banks of the Charles, it’s an awfully nice spot for a bite to eat and some fresh air.
B&G Oysters
In the summer months, oyster lovers and seafood fans spill out onto the picturesque little patio at B&G Oysters. Fresh seafood tastes best outside, so seats on the shaded, just-below-grade terrace fill up quickly.
Bar Enza
Chef Mark Ladner's neo-trattoria, Bar Enza, brings sophisticated and inventive Italian fare outdoors with their year-round roofed outdoor dining patio. Nestled just inside the courtyard at the famed Charles Hotel, the plant-lined patio is cool in the summer and toasty in the winter thanks to powerful overhead heated lamps so you can enjoy plates of housemade pasta, imported cheeses and lots of Italian wine throughout the year.
Bar Volpe
Treat yourself to a mini trip to Southern Italy by way of South Boston - just grab a spot on the sidewalk patio at Bar Volpe, right there on West Broadway, and you can soak up some rays, sip on some spritzes and tuck into plates of handmade pasta from chef Karen Akunowicz and her team.
Bianca
Bianca's bright and cheery Chestnut Hill patio is the perfect backdrop for their fun (and delicious!) fare. Find a perch under one of the umbrellas to catch some shade or bask in the sun and fresh air.
